JLPT Grammar: ～だけあって (dake atte) – As Expected From, Because of

Welcome to another detailed Japanese grammar lesson! Today we’re exploring the grammar pattern ～だけあって (dake atte), an upper intermediate to advanced expression that will help you express cause and effect relationships with a nuance of “as expected” or “not surprising considering…”

What Does ～だけあって Mean?

The expression ～だけあって carries these meanings:

• “As expected from…”
• “Because of… (as one would expect)”
• “As one might expect, given that…”
• “Not surprisingly, since…”

This grammar pattern is used to indicate that a certain result or situation is natural or expected, given some condition or characteristic mentioned before it.

Grammar Formation

The structure follows this pattern:

Noun + だけあって

Verb (dictionary form) + だけあって

Verb (past form) + だけあって

い-Adjective + だけあって

な-Adjective + な + だけあって

This is typically followed by another clause that presents the result or situation that is natural or expected given the first part.

Nuance and Usage

This expression carries these nuances:

1. Causality with expectation: It connects a cause with its natural result, but with an added nuance that the result was expected or reasonable.
2. Often positive: While not exclusively positive, this pattern is often used to describe positive attributes leading to positive outcomes.
3. Recognition of quality or effort: Frequently used to acknowledge that someone’s characteristics, efforts, or background have led to expected positive results.

This expression is used in:

• Daily conversation (more formal than casual)
• Written Japanese
• News reporting
• Business settings

Detailed Examples

Example 1: With a Noun

彼は医者の息子だけあって、医学の知識が豊富だ。

Kare wa isha no musuko dake atte, igaku no chishiki ga hōfu da.

As expected from a doctor’s son, he has extensive medical knowledge.

Explanation: Here, the speaker is indicating that it’s natural or expected for someone who is a doctor’s son to have extensive medical knowledge. The first part (being a doctor’s son) naturally explains the second part (having medical knowledge).

Example 2: With a Verb (Dictionary Form)

毎日練習するだけあって、彼のピアノの腕前はどんどん上達している。

Mainichi renshū suru dake atte, kare no piano no udemae wa dondon jōtatsu shite iru.

As one would expect from practicing every day, his piano skills are steadily improving.

Explanation: The speaker is saying that the person’s piano skills are improving, and this is a natural consequence of their daily practice. The “だけあって” conveys that this improvement is exactly what one would expect, given the consistent practice.

Example 3: With a Verb (Past Form)

十年間海外に住んだだけあって、彼女の英語はネイティブのようだ。

Jūnenkan kaigai ni sunda dake atte, kanojo no eigo wa neitibu no yō da.

Having lived abroad for ten years, her English is like a native speaker’s, as one might expect.

Explanation: The speaker is explaining that the person’s native-like English ability is a natural result of having lived abroad for ten years. The “だけあって” indicates that this high level of English proficiency is exactly what one would expect from someone with such extended overseas experience.

Example 4: With an い-Adjective

彼は頭がいいだけあって、難しい問題もすぐに解けた。

Kare wa atama ga ii dake atte, muzukashii mondai mo sugu ni toketa.

As expected from someone so intelligent, he was able to solve the difficult problem right away.

Explanation: The speaker is noting that the person solved a difficult problem quickly, which is natural given their intelligence. The “だけあって” connects the person’s intelligence with their problem-solving ability in a way that suggests this outcome was expected.

Example 5: With a な-Adjective

彼女は几帳面なだけあって、レポートに一つもミスがなかった。

Kanojo wa kichōmen na dake atte, repōto ni hitotsu mo misu ga nakatta.

As one might expect from someone so meticulous, there wasn’t a single mistake in her report.

Explanation: The speaker is indicating that the error-free report is a natural consequence of the person’s meticulous nature. The “だけあって” shows that this perfect result is exactly what one would expect from someone with such attention to detail.

Example 6: In a Professional Context

彼は営業部のトップだけあって、顧客とのコミュニケーション能力が非常に高い。

Kare wa eigyōbu no toppu dake atte, kokyaku to no komyunikēshon nōryoku ga hijō ni takai.

As expected from the top salesperson in the department, his communication skills with customers are extremely high.

Explanation: The speaker is noting that the person’s excellent communication skills are natural given their position as the top salesperson. The “だけあって” connects their professional status with their skills in a way that suggests this is an expected correlation.

Example 7: Cultural Context

京都出身だけあって、彼女の話し方はとても丁寧だ。

Kyōto shusshin dake atte, kanojo no hanashikata wa totemo teinei da.

As one might expect from someone from Kyoto, her way of speaking is very polite.

Explanation: The speaker is connecting the person’s polite speech with their Kyoto origins. In Japan, Kyoto is known for its refined and polite language, so the “だけあって” indicates that her polite speech is a natural consequence of her background that matches cultural expectations.

Example 8: With Negative Qualities

一晩中勉強したあとだけあって、朝の会議で彼は居眠りをしていた。

Hitoban-jū benkyō shita ato dake atte, asa no kaigi de kare wa inemuri o shite ita.

Having studied all night, he was dozing off during the morning meeting, as one might expect.

Explanation: While many examples show positive qualities leading to positive results, this example shows how “だけあって” can also be used for explaining negative outcomes as natural consequences. Here, dozing off (negative) is presented as an expected result of studying all night (potentially positive but leading to exhaustion).

Common Patterns and Collocations

This expression is often found with:

• Professional identities: 先生だけあって (as expected from a teacher), プロだけあって (as expected from a professional)
• Experience references: 経験があるだけあって (as expected from having experience), ～年勤めただけあって (as expected from having worked for ~ years)
• Effort mentions: 努力したダけあって (as expected from the effort made), 練習したダけあって (as expected from having practiced)
• Regional or national identities: 日本人だけあって (as expected from a Japanese person), 大阪出身だけあって (as expected from someone from Osaka)

Similar Expressions

Understanding similar expressions can help clarify the nuance of ～だけあって:

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following sentences using ～だけあって:

1. 彼女はデザイナー________、服のセンスがとても良い。
2. 山田さんは教師として20年の経験がある________、生徒の扱いが上手だ。
3. 毎日ジョギングをしている________、彼は体力がある。
4. 有名な大学を卒業した________、彼の知識は幅広い。
5. フランスで料理を学んだ________、彼女の作るフランス料理は本格的だ。

Answer Key for Exercise 1:

1. 彼女はデザイナーだけあって、服のセンスがとても良い。
   As expected from a designer, she has a very good sense of fashion.
2. 山田さんは教師として20年の経験があるだけあって、生徒の扱いが上手だ。
   With 20 years of experience as a teacher, Mr. Yamada is good at handling students, as one would expect.
3. 毎日ジョギングをしているだけあって、彼は体力がある。
   As expected from someone who jogs every day, he has good stamina.
4. 有名な大学を卒業しただけあって、彼の知識は幅広い。
   Having graduated from a famous university, he has broad knowledge, as one might expect.
5. フランスで料理を学んだだけあって、彼女の作るフランス料理は本格的だ。
   As one would expect from someone who studied cooking in France, her French cuisine is authentic.

Exercise 2: Translation from English to Japanese

Translate the following sentences into Japanese using ～だけあって:

1. As expected from a professional photographer, his photos are excellent.
2. Having lived in Japan for 15 years, he speaks Japanese fluently, as one might expect.
3. As one would expect from someone who trains every day, she won the championship.
4. As expected from a native of Osaka, he is very funny and talkative.
5. Having studied hard, she passed the difficult exam, as one might expect.

Answer Key for Exercise 2:

1. プロのカメラマンだけあって、彼の写真は素晴らしい。
2. 15年間日本に住んだだけあって、彼は流暢に日本語を話す。
3. 毎日トレーニングをしているだけあって、彼女は選手権で優勝した。
4. 大阪出身だけあって、彼はとても面白くておしゃべりだ。
5. 一生懸命勉強しただけあって、彼女は難しい試験に合格した。

Exercise 3: Creating Original Sentences

Create your own sentences using ～だけあって for each of the following situations:

1. Someone who has been playing piano since childhood and performs beautifully
2. A chef with 20 years of experience who creates amazing dishes
3. A person who reads many books and has extensive knowledge
4. An athlete who practices diligently and wins competitions
5. A company with a long history that produces high-quality products

Sample Answers for Exercise 3:

1. 子供の頃からピアノを弾いているだけあって、彼女の演奏は素晴らしい。
   As expected from someone who has been playing piano since childhood, her performance is wonderful.
2. 20年の経験を持つシェフだけあって、彼の料理は驚くほど美味しい。
   As one would expect from a chef with 20 years of experience, his dishes are amazingly delicious.
3. たくさんの本を読んでいるだけあって、彼の知識は豊富だ。
   As expected from someone who reads many books, his knowledge is extensive.
4. 毎日懸命に練習しているだけあって、彼女はいつも大会で優勝する。
   As one might expect from someone who practices hard every day, she always wins at competitions.
5. 長い歴史を持つ会社だけあって、彼らの製品は高品質だ。
   As expected from a company with a long history, their products are high quality.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing with だけ: Remember that だけあって is a fixed expression and has a different meaning from だけ (only)
• Missing the nuance of expectation: This expression is not just about cause and effect but also contains the nuance that the result is natural or expected
• Using with unrelated clauses: The two clauses connected by だけあって should have a clear cause-and-effect relationship
• Overusing in casual conversation: While not extremely formal, this expression is more common in somewhat formal speech or writing

When to Use ～だけあって

This expression is most appropriate when:

• Explaining why someone has certain skills or abilities based on their background
• Noting that results match expectations based on effort or characteristics
• Commenting on how someone’s professional or regional background influences their behavior
• Explaining natural consequences that align with common expectations
• Giving subtle praise by connecting someone’s positive attributes with their achievements

Conclusion

The grammar pattern ～だけあって is a useful expression for connecting causes with their natural, expected effects. It adds a nuance of “as expected” or “not surprisingly” to your explanations, making them more sophisticated and natural-sounding.

This pattern is particularly useful when you want to explain someone’s abilities or achievements as natural consequences of their background, efforts, or characteristics. It’s also a subtle way to give praise by acknowledging the connection between someone’s positive qualities and their accomplishments.

As you practice with the exercises above, look for opportunities to use this pattern in your own Japanese conversations and writing. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in articles, books, and conversations to develop a better feel for its natural usage.

thuandao

I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.